West Michigan Tourist Association History 1917 – 20011
West Michigan Tourist Association History 1917 – 20011
West Michigan Tourist Association History 1917 – 20011
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<strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Tourist</strong> <strong>Association</strong> <strong>History</strong> <strong>1917</strong> <strong>–</strong><br />
<strong>20011</strong><br />
When civic leaders from <strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> resort areas gathered at the Pantlind<br />
Hotel in Grand Rapids on May 7-8, <strong>1917</strong>, they knew why they were there.<br />
They had been invited to organize the <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Tourist</strong> & Resort <strong>Association</strong> by<br />
Lee Bierce, secretary of the Grand Rapids <strong>Association</strong> of Commerce, and John<br />
Gibson, secretary of the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> Development Bureau.<br />
Chairman Carroll Sweet lost no time adopting a resolution to incorporate as a<br />
non-profit association. Temporary officers were appointed: President - J.H.P.<br />
Hughart, GR&I Rail- way; Vice President - David Day, Glen Haven; Treasurer -<br />
Sweet; and Secretary - Hugh Grey, Pere Marquette Railway.<br />
If a “father” of the association were to be named, it likely would be Arthur W.<br />
Stace, managing editor of The Grand Rapids Press.<br />
Stace observed a promotion program that successfully lured thousands of<br />
tourists to Colorado during a business trip he made there in 1916. He returned to<br />
Grand Rapids to write a series of articles in November, 1916, urging <strong>Michigan</strong><br />
business leaders to form a cooperative tourist bureau to promote travel in this<br />
state.<br />
The leaders listened. Thus was born the first grass roots tourist association in the<br />
nation.
<strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Tourist</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Historical Timeline<br />
1921 MTRA#s first 24-page travel guide was published, with a 15,000<br />
circulation.<br />
1929 MTRA opened a Chicago office.<br />
1931 The slogan, “<strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong>...The Playground of the Nation,”$<br />
was introduced.<br />
1934 MTRA changed its name to <strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Tourist</strong> & Resort<br />
<strong>Association</strong> (WMTRA)<br />
1935 WMTRA opened offices in Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland and St.<br />
Louis.<br />
1961 WMTRA changed its name to <strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Tourist</strong> <strong>Association</strong><br />
(WMTA)<br />
2007 WMTA celebrates its 90th anniversary as the “Oldest<br />
Continually- Operating Regional <strong>Tourist</strong> <strong>Association</strong> in the<br />
Country.”<br />
2011 WMTA celebrates it 95 th anniversary by introducing the “Whatʼs<br />
Your Thing?” campaign.
<strong>West</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Tourist</strong> <strong>Association</strong> Leaders: <strong>1917</strong> <strong>–</strong><br />
2011<br />
Hugh J. Grey<br />
<strong>1917</strong>-1944 %<br />
”Father of <strong>Michigan</strong>’s Tourism Industry”<br />
William Palmer<br />
1944-1947<br />
Chester C. Wells<br />
1948-1956<br />
Aurey D. Strohpol<br />
1957-1969<br />
Wesley B. Tebeau<br />
1970-1987<br />
Gary C. Fischer<br />
1988-1994<br />
William (Bill) DeHaan<br />
1995-1997<br />
Linda Singer<br />
1997-2003<br />
Richard (Rick) Hert<br />
2004-Present
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